School of Public Affairs Graduation Requirements

School of Public Affairs Residency Requirement

A minimum of 30 credits must be taken at CU Denver, and at least 21 of the final 30 credits must be earned at CU Denver. Please your major program page for any additional major-specific residency requirements.

School of Public Affairs Social Sciences Requirement

SPA requires students to select three courses from the Social Sciences area of the CU Denver Core Curriculum. Please see your advisor for guidance on which courses will be most beneficial for your individual major.

Upper-Division

Students must complete a minimum of forty-five upper-division credits.

Foreign Language Requirement

School of Public Affairs students must demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language at the second semester college level prior to graduation. This is accomplished through course work, by examination, or through documented evidence that the student has attained the equivalent proficiency in a language other than English.

Students using high school credit to satisfy the proficiency requirement at CU Denver must have received a grade of C- (1.7) or higher in the final semester of the second-year course. Students using college-level transfer credit or coursework at CU Denver to satisfy the proficiency requirement must receive a grade of C- (1.7) or better in the second-semester college-level course. There is no pass/fail option for any course taken for the foreign language requirement.

Student Placement in Lower-Division Language Courses

NOTE: High school programs vary substantially, and the above levels may not be appropriate for all students. Modern Languages departmental advisors will be happy to speak with any student who feels unsure about his or her placement (303-556-4893).

Prior College Courses

Students wishing to enroll in a lower-division course that does not directly follow their last completed college course in the regular sequence should consult with an appropriate faculty member of the Department of Modern Languages prior to enrollment, 303-556-4893.

Proficiency Testing

Students may also show their level of proficiency by taking a computerized placement/proficiency exam. Call the Department of Modern Languages, 303-556-4893, for scheduled exam times. The languages tested are French, German, and Spanish; students wishing to show proficiency in other languages should consult the Department of Modern Languages for documentation. Students may take an exam only once per semester.

Students who have achieved some proficiency in a foreign language through other means than academic courses should also consult with an appropriate faculty member of the Department of Modern Languages prior to enrollment. This is especially important for native and heritage speakers.

Major Requirement

Complete all requirements associated with your individual major. See the program page for detailed requirements.

The Internship Program

Undergraduate students without experience in the field must complete an internship course for credit under the direction of a faculty sponsor and the Experiential Learning Center. Internships are helpful for career exploration early in a student’s academic career or for job experience after developing academic content in the major. Undergraduate students must have a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA and a minimum of 15 semester hours completed at CU Denver. BACJ students must have successfully completed CRJU 1000 and CRJU 2041 before registering for the internship, and BAPS students must have sucessfully completed PUAD 1001 and PUAD 4001 before registering for the internship. A maximum of 3 semester hours of internship per semester and 6 semester hours total may be counted toward the 120 semester hours necessary for graduation. Undergraduate students should contact the Experiential Learning Center  for details on internship placements, paperwork and requirements. Please see your advisor to request an internship course waiver.